Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, called on Democrats to engage in “mass protests” during a fervid speech in New Hampshire on Sunday night, rejecting the bipartisan approach pushed by others in his party and sparking backlash from the White House.
“It’s time to fight everywhere and all at once,” Pritzker, who was on the Harris campaign’s short list for a running mate last year, told a crowd of Democratic officials and donors in Manchester.
“Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now,” he continued. “These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have.”
Pritzker, the billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, slammed his own party for its focus on “poll-tested language” and “decades of stale decorum” in elections.
“For far too long, we’ve been guilty of listening to a bunch of do-nothing political types who would tell us that America’s house is not on fire, even as the flames are licking their faces,” he said. Democrats need to “stop thinking we can reason or negotiate with a madman,” he said, referring to President Donald Trump.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Sunday. Associated Press
In comments to reporters Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller slammed Pritzker’s calls for protests.
“His comments, if nothing else, could be construed as inciting violence,” Miller said when asked if the Justice Department would “take action” against the governor. “President Trump survived two assassination attempts against his life.”
He continued: “We’ve, of course, seen the spate of left-wing domestic terrorism all across this country” ― ostensibly referring to anti-Tesla vandalism in response to CEO Elon Musk’s influence on Trump’s administration.
Pritzker dismissed Miller’s accusation during a press conference at the University of Illinois Chicago.
“He wasn’t listening to my speech at all then,” the governor said. “I was calling for people to take out their megaphones and their microphones, to stand up on soapboxes and to get to the ballot box in order to defeat the people who are trying to take so many things away from the American people. That has nothing to do with inciting violence.”
Miller, he noted, has defended people who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “I think it’s terrible hypocrisy,” Pritzker said.
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